Advice needed - fitting Chinese heater...

[rickwales]

There has been enough said in the past on here and other forums etc about these Chinese heaters so advice only please.
The 5kW heater is on a test rig and been working for a fortnight on and off heating my workshop(exhaust out the door), running on heating oil. I used 5l of heating oil in 18hrs mainly on low to medium heat.
I've read the Eberspacher installation guide but have the following questions:-
Supplied 10l tank will probably be fitted in the cockpit locker, on a swing out board so can be easily filled. To be fitted with an on/off tap. Heater will be fitted in the stern behind the steering gear on the transom. Four outlets, stern cabin, saloon, heads & fore cabin.
I'll run it on heating oil - can I assume this is legal? (although I do have a fuel tank dip tube but more complicated run).
1) Fuel pipe - can I use the supplied plastic tube or should this be copper tube? not mentioned in the guide. Will be run through side locker and rear cabin under berth lockers, not through engine space.
2) Power cable - from comments it appears the power cable to the battery is undersized, the guide suggests 4mm² for up to 5m combined run and 6mm² for longer. I've got some 2.5mm² which I assumed would be sufficient - the run will be about 8m overall length(but not measured accurately yet). Run from domestic batteries, 2 x 90ah new leisure batteries.
3) Do I need to fit the small inline filter as supplied? According to one site NOT suitable for marine installations. I would have fitted it between tank and tap but maybe after the tank is better?
4) I'm going to insulate all the ducting where possible.
5) I'm also going to fit an on/off switch in the power line to the heater.

Any other suggestions welcome.

I can see this is a old post but I’m just applying to become a BSS surveyor, eberspacher style heaters will require metal fuel piping to pass BSS, others have made more fuller replies but certainly the fuel line needs to be metal if your needing BSS certification, also pay attention to having a fuel shut off and be careful where you trunk the combustion intake air from (Exhaust protection has been covered well by others) hope that helps

 

[LittleSister]

I can see this is a old post but I’m just applying to become a BSS surveyor, eberspacher style heaters will require metal fuel piping to pass BSS, others have made more fuller replies but certainly the fuel line needs to be metal if your needing BSS certification,

Really? I would be interested to know which section of the BSS you think demands metal piping, as the relevant section for fuel supply (2.10) specifically mentions non-metallic hoses.

 

[rickwales]

Your quoting incorrectly you need to actually read what the specification says not what you would like it say, it is very clear and specific on fuel supply lines

 

[Beneteau381]

Your quoting incorrectly you need to actually read what the specification says not what you would like it say, it is very clear and specific on fuel supply lines

Oh dear me, my Beneteau and thousands like it wont pass the BSS test then with its fuel certified “rubber” pipes! Oh dear, how sad, never mind! Guess we dont have to worry though, they wont float in a canal! Anyway, quite what does this self appointed charity derived “body” have to do with us?

 

[Beneteau381]

using the plastic pipe is not good practice as all new fuel line`s and gas pipe should be of copper as to the risk of heat and failure this is to bss reg`s for inland waterway`s and any rubber should marine grade stainless sheathed or of minimal rubber lloyd`s approved to allow for flexi connection
which is what will be relevant in a issue with a fault caused and be leakage for insurance purposes

but im not commenting just advising of what i understand the wording to mean
as gas is mainly my job

My boat has “rubber” fuel hoses as std from the factory. It used to be coded for charter work. I have all the paperwork going back years. None of the surveys are/were concerned about the fuel pipes. None of the rules quoted by you or others apply to us unless we go on a canal! Oh dear, how sad, never mind, none of ours will float in a canal!

 

[rickwales]

That’s correct the BSS requirement only relates to inland waterways and they are particularly pedantic about fuel and lpg hoses and installations.

There have however been several boat fires attributed to auxiliary heaters which is of concern amongst surveyors and insurers and the MSA have been involved in one which was a fatality- my own boat still has the plastic line and I have no plans to change that at this time

 

[Beneteau381]

“concern amongst surveyors and insurers” proof?

 

[rickwales]

Ask another surveyor or the YDSA or MSA
You seem a keyboard warrior

 

[Sam17257]

Hi, I have just fitted a chinese diesel heater and diesel is leaking out of the air intake under the heater .
Has anyone experienced this before?

 

[fredrussell]

Hi, I have just fitted a chinese diesel heater and diesel is leaking out of the air intake under the heater .
Has anyone experienced this before?

Best to start a new thread Sam, you’ll get more answers. Also, there’s aFacebook group devoted to these heaters. Worth asking on there too.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Ask another surveyor or the YDSA or MSA
You seem a keyboard warrior

…………and you seem immune to other's input.

 

[superheat6k]

Ask another surveyor or the YDSA or MSA
You seem a keyboard warrior

Fortunately a BSS inspector won't ever need to venture anywhere near a boat I own - thank God !

 

[Beneteau381]

Hi, I have just fitted a chinese diesel heater and diesel is leaking out of the air intake under the heater .
Has anyone experienced this before?

As I understand it the fuel can only enter the combustion chamber via the tick tick pump. If your fuel tank is higher than the heater then the tick tick pump is allowing fuel to flow through it when it isnt switched on? People have had good results from cheap Chinese made ones but if yours has bad components then perhaps you are seeing the downsides?

 

[Beneteau381]

Ask another surveyor or the YDSA or MSA
You seem a keyboard warrior

Not really, I dont like people using rules and regs that dont apply to us to try and make us do something we dont have to. I repeat, suitable "rubber" pipes are not an issue on our boats.

 

[JimC]

.... eberspacher style heaters will require metal fuel piping to pass BSS...

Not so, see here

 

[lynallbel]

As I understand it the fuel can only enter the combustion chamber via the tick tick pump. If your fuel tank is higher than the heater then the tick tick pump is allowing fuel to flow through it when it isnt switched on? People have had good results from cheap Chinese made ones but if yours has bad components then perhaps you are seeing the downsides?

I could be wrong, but think no pulse to pump means no fuel flow regardless of tank position?
Certainly some of the cars I have mounted the pumps to had the pump mounted real low, one was behind the front bumper literally 6 inches above the road surface, that was a petrol version of the heater to!

 

[Beneteau381]

The point I am making is that the only way for liquid fuel to be getting in to the combustion chamber and coming out as a liquid is through the pump. If the heater is switched off then the "one way valves" in the pump may not be sealing. I have used the word valves, but I mean the mechanism that allows it to be used as a positive displacement pump.